Chapter 254 Propaganda
Xie Yunzhi could not hide his excitement upon hearing this, but he still did not dare to raise his head and simply bowed to the writing desk.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
He then quickly retreated to the corner, curling himself up into a ball again, as if that was the only way he could feel safe.
Huo Lin's gaze returned to Jiang Huan, his eyes softening.
"Instant noodles are your idea and creation, and they are of great use to the country and the people. I will definitely reward you for your contributions."
He paused, then continued, "I will issue an edict to allocate a sum of money directly from the national treasury to you as a reward for your invention of this item."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Huan's eyes widened slightly.
Pay me directly?
Wuhu, she likes this kind of tangible reward the most.
I wonder how many there are? Is it enough for her to upgrade the small kitchen in Weiyang Palace?
She had just begun to cheer with joy and happily plan how to use the huge sum of money when Huo Lin continued speaking, his thoughts clearly going much further.
"In addition, Yunzhi just mentioned the sale in the marketplace."
Huo Lin tapped his fingers lightly on the table, making a steady sound. His gaze was fixed on the distance, as if he could already see the future.
"From now on, I will grant you 30% of the profits from the market. This money will not come from the national treasury, but will be earned from the buyers who enjoy this product. It will be taken from the people and used for the people, and it will also benefit you."
Jiang Huan was genuinely shocked this time, her mouth slightly agape.
With so many people in Daliang, taking 30% of the profits... how much money is that?
Is Huo Lin going to give her a mountain of gold?
Jiang Huan stared in disbelief, as if she saw countless gold ingots beckoning to her.
Huo Lin looked at her, speechless with surprise, her adorable little money-grubber look making his lips curl into a smile, his eyes full of doting laughter.
She is not just my Consort Zhuang; she is Jiang Huan, a blessing to the people of Liang.
[I want everyone to see her goodness, to see her intelligence and talent, and not just to see her confined to the inner palace, or to see her cooking and cleaning for me.]
This instant noodle dish is an excellent starting point.
[With her reputation for benefiting the people and the army, and with her tangible achievements, I will grant her an even more prestigious position in the future. Let's see who dares to object and say she is unworthy to be the Empress!]
His mind was churning with thoughts of planning for the future.
Hearing his heartfelt words, Jiang Huan instantly understood his good intentions.
This is paving the way for her.
It turned out that he was thinking far more and far-reachingly than she had imagined.
A warm current surged through Jiang Huan's heart, tinged with a bittersweet emotion that made her nose sting.
She blinked quickly, suppressing her surging emotions, and deliberately raised her small face to ask, "Your Majesty has given me so much, aren't you afraid that I'll become the richest woman in the capital and then get too arrogant?"
Huo Lin chuckled at her playful and adorable appearance, reaching out to pinch the tip of her nose: "I allow you to pout, and besides, what's yours is mine, isn't it?"
[It's just a family affair, nothing more than transferring wealth within the family.]
Jiang Huan's cheeks flushed slightly, but her heart was filled with sweetness, as if she were soaking in a honey pot.
A family.
Yes, that's a warm and firm promise.
A few days later, the imperial examination officially began.
The atmosphere inside the examination hall was solemn and silent, with only the soft scratching of ink on paper.
Huo Lin personally supervised the examination, dressed in a black dragon robe, with a stern face and piercing eyes.
He slowly swept his gaze across the candidates below, his powerful imperial aura making the atmosphere in the examination hall even more tense, with many candidates not even daring to raise their heads.
Time passed quietly, the sun rose higher, and it was almost noon.
Many candidates' stomachs rumbled loudly, which was particularly clear in the quiet examination room, causing some candidates to blush and become even more nervous.
Upon hearing this, Huo Lin raised an eyebrow and gave Wang Degui beside him a wink.
Wang Degui immediately understood, bowed, and quietly withdrew.
A moment later, Wang Degui returned carrying a tray.
The candidates below thought the emperor had ordered some rare delicacies to be prepared, but to their surprise, the plate contained only a white porcelain bowl.
Golden-yellow flatbread and a packet of concentrated broth were placed on the side of the bowl, along with a pot of boiling water.
Some test takers couldn't help but look over, their eyes full of curiosity.
Wang Degui skillfully placed the flatbread and soup cubes into a bowl and then poured in hot water.
Before long, the flatbread broke apart, and a unique and enticing aroma quickly spread as the steam rose.
The candidates were filled with doubt and suspicion, secretly exchanging glances, their attention completely drawn to the bowl of magical food, and they had no time to ponder the classic texts.
What does this smell like? It smells so good!
Is His Majesty dining? But what kind of food is that? I've never seen it before!
And it was incredibly fast; in just a few breaths, the noodles had completely stretched out.
I really want to have a bite too, *slurp*
...
Huo Lin, however, seemed completely oblivious to the commotion below, calmly watching Wang Degui place the bowl of instant noodles in front of him.
He picked up his chopsticks, and under the watchful eyes of countless people, calmly picked up a noodle, blew on it, and then put it in his mouth.
Huo Lin didn't eat quickly, but every bite was like savoring some unparalleled delicacy. The enticing aroma wafted continuously, tormenting all the examinees.
gurgle—
Someone swallowed hard, the sound particularly loud in the quiet examination room.
Huo Lin paused, a barely perceptible smile curving his lips.
Great, that's exactly the effect I wanted.
Before long, the bowl of noodles was empty, with not even any broth left.
Huo Lin put down his chopsticks, took the handkerchief handed to him by Wang Degui, and wiped the corner of his mouth.
He looked down at the candidates below, who were clearly distracted and whose stomachs were growling louder, and spoke calmly.
"This dish is called instant noodles. It was specially made by Consort Zhuang because she was considerate of my busy schedule with state affairs and my lack of time to eat on time. It can be eaten after being soaked in hot water for a short while and can temporarily relieve hunger."
He paused, then added, "It may be available on the market in the future, benefiting the people."
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire examination room fell silent, and all the candidates were stunned.
They knew little about the affairs of the imperial harem, and this was the first time they had ever heard of the names of the emperor's concubines.
It's so convenient, and more importantly, you can actually buy it.
This Consort Zhuang has such ingenuity and wisdom?
Many test takers have already made up their minds and plan to buy and try this instant noodle product once it hits the market.
Huo Lin looked at the various expressions on the candidates' faces and was quite satisfied.
In this way, her fame extended beyond the imperial harem.
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